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Post by blythwhimsies on Feb 29, 2016 17:49:41 GMT
I have been trying to dye some very dense and well fulled felt in a pan on the stove and I'm getting some patchy results. It looks like the dye isn't penetrating into the wool, rather sitting on top so only the outer layer has been coloured. In the end I added more dye to the kettle to attempt to 'fill in' the blanks a bit more. They are quite sturdy and thick. My guess is that dyeing pieces that aren't so well fulled is the answer, or to pre-felt, dye and then full the felt especially if I want very pale colours .
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Post by MTRuth on Feb 29, 2016 18:20:31 GMT
I would suggest dyeing a completely fulled piece when it is still wet from felting and perhaps leave a bit of soap in as well to help the dye penetrate better. If it is dry when you put it in, it will definitely be harder to get it to take the dye.
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Post by Pandagirl on Feb 29, 2016 20:01:19 GMT
I don't know what type of dye you're using, but if it's acid you may want to try soaking it for 20 minutes in vinegar water.
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Post by Teri Berry on Feb 29, 2016 23:41:07 GMT
I agree with Ruth, a drop of dish soap in your dye bath will help wet out the felt and therefore absorb more dye. Regular stirring / agitation and using generous volumes of water will give a more even dye.
That said, I'm a huge fan of the variegated dye patterns you get from low immersion dyeing.
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Post by blythwhimsies on Mar 1, 2016 9:47:08 GMT
I did actually dye them straight after making so they never dried out. I rinsed them out then left them to soak in some vinegar water for about 15 minutes then just dropped them into the dye bath - I used the Eurolana dyes. Perhaps I could do more stirring as I have noticed that just leaving things in the water they tend to be stronger in colour on the side facing down.
I agree Teri that variegated dye patterns can be fun and I'm trying to learn how to control the dye process a bit more so I get the results I intend. Perhaps that is partially a fool's quest!
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Post by Teri Berry on Mar 1, 2016 16:24:28 GMT
Not a fool's quest at all but I think there is a lot to be said for serendipity in dyeing! A fun option to try with low imersion dyeing is to use just enough acid water to cover your felt / fabric ( this can be coloured but choose a pale colour) and then sprinkle dye powder of different colours over the top. The effects can look a lot like ice or snow dyeing without the waiting.
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Post by Shepherdess on Mar 1, 2016 23:39:45 GMT
Did you have vinegar in the dye water too? Wool self resists very easily, so between the flower parts is always going to be a problem. As Terry said a low water method may work well. You could do it in a microwave or wrap it and steam it. You might try squishing the dye in, with gloves on of course and before it gets too hot
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Post by zed on Mar 3, 2016 10:46:15 GMT
I was going to suggest the same as Ann, apply the dye directly to the felt and steam it. I've only tried this on a couple of flat pieces, myself, but you can push the dye right into it.
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Post by koffipot on Mar 3, 2016 23:29:39 GMT
Those nooks and crannies are always going to take up less dye. However I feel the shaded result is more pleasing than a solid colour.
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Post by blythwhimsies on Mar 4, 2016 14:56:38 GMT
I agree Judith. I really wanted a pale shade but the mixture of deep and pale is quite pleasing. I'll try pressing the dye into the felt next time and steaming to see what result I get.
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Post by abokathy on Mar 22, 2016 0:55:18 GMT
I would suggest you refrain from soaking the piece in the vinegar solution first. Any mordant, such as vinegar or citric acid, causes the dye to strike and set into the fiber immediately. Omit your mordant and allow the piece to slowly soak in the dye. You can squeeze the piece a little to help the dye penetrate deeper. After a 20- 30 minute soak,at the proper temp., remove the piece, add the mordant and stir, then return the piece to the pot. Any remaining dye will strike very quickly and clear your dye bath... as long as too much dye was not added to the bath. Best of luck.
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Post by blythwhimsies on Mar 22, 2016 19:57:15 GMT
Thank you Abokathy. I'm still learning about dyeing and hadn't understood completely what the vinegar does. I'll try adding it later in the process.
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Post by Leonor (of Eleanor Shadow) on Mar 23, 2016 12:22:09 GMT
Have you tried hand painting it instead of doing immersion dyeing? You can use a syringe and just add the dye directly to the place you want it to be and then gently massage it into place for a fuller penetration.
I prefer using citric acid over vinegar, since it's got a higher acid content, and I add it to my dye stock.
I hope this helps!
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Post by blythwhimsies on Mar 23, 2016 14:46:10 GMT
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Post by Pandagirl on Mar 23, 2016 15:31:23 GMT
Nice color effects Marion! It's fun playing with the dyes and experimenting. I hope you're better at documenting results than I am. :-
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